Dipika Ditches Favourite, Mak, In Chennai

Indian squash prospect Dipika Pallikal claimed the biggest scalp of her career when she upset top seed Christina Mak in today's (Friday) women's quarter-finals in the ICL Chennai Open to reach her first semi-final of a WISPA World Tour event at the ICL Squash Academy in Chennai, India.

The 16-year-old from Chennai played a flawless match to beat world No33 Christina Mak, from Hong Kong, 9-7, 9-5, 9-3 in 34 minutes. 

After a close first game, Dipika looked superior and took full control of the match with her aggression.  Runner-up in last week's Asian Junior U19 Championships, Dipika goes on to meet Orla Noom, the third seed from Netherlands who had a narrow escape against Anwesha Reddy, the seventh seed from India, coming back from two games down to win 3-9, 8-10, 9-5, 9-1, 9-2 in 42 minutes.

There will be domestic interest in the other women's semi-final where second seed Joshna Chinappa faces Annie Au, the fourth seed from Hong Kong.

The quarter-finals of the $10,000 PSA Tour event went according to the seedings with the top two seeds Saurav Ghosal and Ritwik Bhattacharya keeping alive hopes of an all-Indian men's final.

Favourite Ghosal beat eighth seed Rob Sutherland 11-8, 15-13, 11-5 and will now face Australia's third seed Ryan Cuskelly for a place in the final. 

Second seed Bhattacharya defeated fellow countryman Harinder Pal Sandhu, a qualifier, 11-8, 13-11, 11-8 to earn a semi-final clash with Egyptian Mohd Ali Anwar Reda, the fourth seed.

 

RESULTS:    ICL Chennai Open Squash Championship, Chennai, India

Men's quarter-finals:
[1] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [8] Rob Sutherland (WAL)   11-8, 15-13, 11-5 (48m)
[3] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt [5] Dick Lau (HKG)      11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-3 (56m)
[4] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt [7] Max Lee (HKG)   11-4, 11-3, 11-7 (25m)
[2] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt [Q] Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND)         11-8, 13-11, 11-8 (38m)

Women's quarter-finals:
[5] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [1] Christina Mak (HKG)                9-7, 9-5, 9-3 (34m)
[3] Orla Noom (NED) bt [7] Anwesha Reddy (IND)                3-9, 8-10, 9-5, 9-1, 9-2 (42m)
[4] Annie Au (HKG) bt Harita Omprakash (IND)                     9-2, 9-0, 9-1 (24m)
[2] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [6] Birgit Coufal (AUT)             9-2, 9-6, 9-2 (22m)

Men's semi-final line-up:
[1] Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [3] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
[2] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) v [4] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY)

 
Women's semi-final line-up:
[5] Dipika Pallikal (IND) v [3] Orla Noom (NED)
[2] Joshna Chinappa (IND) v [4] Annie Au (HKG)

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